The Hon. Governor of the Northern Province, N. Vethanayahan, called upon all officials to work with dedication and enthusiasm in the new year to deliver the people-friendly public service expected by the government led by His Excellency the President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.
The ceremony to commence duties for the year 2026 was held this morning – on Thursday, 01 January 2026 at the Northern Province Governor’s Secretariat. The Governor made these remarks while addressing the staff of the Governor’s Secretariat at the event.
In the presence of the Secretariat staff, the Governor hoisted the National Flag, while the Governor’s Secretary, Mr. S. Sathiyaseelan, hoisted the Provincial Flag, thereby inaugurating the event. This was followed by the playing of the National Anthem and the observance of two minutes of silence. Subsequently, the oath-taking ceremony for public officers for the year 2026 was conducted.
Extending New Year wishes, the Governor stated in his address:
We must constantly remember that government offices exist solely to provide services to the general public. The functioning of state institutions should be such that people can place complete trust in us. Just as you would provide services with care and concern to someone well known to you, you should extend the same level of priority and respect to unfamiliar members of the public who come seeking your services.
The government under the leadership of His Excellency the President places the highest priority on eradicating corruption. Therefore, even the slightest space for corruption must not be allowed in our provincial public service. To eliminate corruption and to provide services to the public in the shortest possible time, the government is actively implementing a policy of digitalization. By making use of rapidly expanding technological facilities, we must train ourselves to act with maximum speed in delivering services to the people.
It is only by facing challenges at work that we gain valuable experience. Therefore, move forward without hesitation when confronted with challenges. Rather than working in isolation in any office, achievements can be made only through teamwork. Embrace and include everyone in the office. More than authority, it is through compassion that the best performance can be obtained from staff.
The newly begun year 2026 will be one of rapid development aligned with public service. At present, the Northern Province’s contribution to Sri Lanka’s Gross National Product stands at only 4.5 percent. Let us set ourselves the target of increasing this to 10 percent. Let us all work tirelessly to achieve this goal, the Governor emphasized.
